


Greater Than Gold

by JokerzTriKz



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen, Smaug takes on more than he thought, daddy smaug, fictional creature, original character that isn't for romance, smaug is still a badass
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-31
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-02-23 07:31:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2539511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JokerzTriKz/pseuds/JokerzTriKz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When tragedy befalls an unfortunate race, they hide away their young and hope they can succeed to reunite and replenish their generations. One is found by an unlikely dwarf, a rare female traveling back to her home in Erebor and she takes the young thing with her for not only its strange appearance but her sympathy for it. But all know the tale of Erebor and the tragedy that was Smaug. But what if there was more to it than that? What if, by chance, Smaug happened upon the young creature and instead of ridding himself of it, treasured its company? This is a tale of such.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What Smaug Destroyed

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there, my mini debut for Archive of Our Own. I haven't posted fan-fiction in a while but this should be a fun experience. Hope you like it, I adore this story line so I'll be having fun with this until the end.

A very long time ago, before Erebor had been taken, a female had been traveling through a calm forest, trying to get to the lonely mountain mostly for herself but also because she was a dwarf returning home. Had it not been for the small whimpering in the woods in which they camped, she may have just returned alone in her traveling caravan. The she-dwarf had no child of her own, unable to bear fruit for her family. She had only her husband and he was a soldier. Despite her sensibility, she instead followed her curiosity to find the source of this whimpering while the caravan camped for the night. The trees ahead only allowed small droplets of moonlight to touch ground and scare away the shadows for mere seconds. But it was enough to see the small creature in front of herself that coward in the dark, curled into herself for the dark to embrace. The dwarf though moved forward because the air felt scared and sweet but not threatening as it would in another situation.

She had found a small girl, though none like any had seen. When the girl’s head looked to the she-dwarf she noticed that her ears were not like a man’s or an elf’s. If anything at all they looked like a deer’s, pointed down in her stiff fright and despite the light, her eyes were a gold that seemed to capture any light around her. Might it had not been that the dwarf’s heart was touched by the girl’s appearance, she would have left her be but instead she offered her cloak to the girl and took her in.

During the rest of the travel to the lonely mountain, it had been discovered that she was no older than four, and despite her oddities, the rest of the caravan fell in love with her almost instantly. The she-dwarf was soon known as a mother to the girl and was glad to play the role for her. Though for the rest of the times that they were in towns, the dwarf had the small girl wear a hat unsure how the rest would react. When they had returned to the lonely mountain, it was nearly the husband’s death to see the girl, not in anger or prejudice to her but in his happiness to have a child finally.

Years passed, the girl now six and the family happiest it had ever been. Though as the girl grew, bit by bit, she had grown bold, strange streaks in her hair; streaks that tinted to colors of gold and pearl. Not even of age yet and she was already having offers of betrothal. But not all happy things can stay. For Erebor and its riches had caught the attention of a beast greater than themselves. On the day of the attack, the girl had been lost, terrified by the sounds that reverberated through the mountain.

With a fatal slip of her foot she plummeted many meters into a pool of water but without the knowledge to swim, she never broke the surface. Upon the first breath of the water, the entire pool of water froze and trapped the girl inside with only the look of terror and her strange appearance of gold, silver and pearl. The she-dwarf had died trying to find her adopted child, caught under the collapse of a pillar. The father sacrificing himself in the fight to protect the mountain from the relentless attacks from Smaug, dying under foot and never known for his fearlessness.

This is where our story takes place, for it is about how the girl was found and raised by the feared dragon of the mountain, how out of his greed and love for gold he found more in his beloved treasure and what can happen when there is more treasure than that of Erebor to protect.

But not all happy things can stay…


	2. What Smaug Found

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smaug takes a walk about his kingdom, but finds something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I figured that the prologue was a little to plain to leave and since I am extremely entertained with this story right now, I am posting the official first chapter to set things in motion.  
> I am looking for editors or words of advice. While I feel there is a lot to fix in this story, my amusement I think is masking it in my laziness. So if you see something that needs fixing, tell me. It will be greatly appreciated by me and those reading it later on.

The whole of the mountain was quiet, not disturbed in the least; the only thing to crack the silence were the shifting of golden coins and other precious treasures. It stayed like this day and night for months into years, passing by as if running with agile feet. Before one day finally, there was a shifting and below the piles of gold moved a large beast, rising for a stretch and small meal to feast upon as the days of sleeping caught up to him. The large beast snorted before finally and lazily lifting its head with a deep smoking grumble. He lifted his head higher, his eyes opening tiredly. He gazed about the large opening grinding his jaws before he grumbled again and lifted up his rump from the weight of the gold piles over it. 

Soon he was trudging away, used to the gold shifting under foot as though it were mere sand that glittered. He traveled slowly, his tail swaying on the ground behind him as he walked. The food was fine to get it was the water he was looking for, hoping he wouldn’t have to leave the mountain. Luckily he had stopped near a drop in one of the many large hallways, long enough that he suddenly caught a ripe scent of water, ice more like it as the smell was crisp.  He began towards it, reaching an area where the floor dropped, looking to once have been a stable walking area, maybe even a dance floor at one point but it had crumbled away and now was a deadly drop to any who wasn’t a large dragon.

Smaug took no notice of it and began down it, feeling much too lazy that day to step from the mountain for his water.  If it weren’t for the fire drake, the air would have remained cold but as he descended the air began to warm at his arrival and even the surface of the water began to melt. With a single (and might I add lazy) snort, the flames from his nose filled the collapsed tunnel and the ice instantly melted a good way. With that he quickly dipped his tongue in the cool water, thinking it gross at such a temperature but none the less better than nothing as his own strange dehydration for a fire drake caught up to him. Though despite this, he stopped his “drinking” as he noticed there was a glimmering not on the water but in it. 

Down further was what looked to be a statue of some kind, realistic and truly beautiful. What really caught the dragon’s eye was the gold on the figure. He dipped his head in carefully, gripping the statue delicately. It was still cold despite the heat that now filled the water and the chamber but it intrigued the dragon none the less and he began up the caved in chamber with his new treasure clasped gently in his mouth. When he was once again back at his expanse of spoils he dropped his new treasure before crawling back to his spot in the gold where he slept. With a last puff of smoke from his mouth he slipped back into a humble slumber, smug as he gained a new piece to his plunder.

~*~

The darkness of an eternity. A blank state of mind as it had lost its means of thinking long ago. Now it seemed that the dark had lost its companion as warmth took over the never ending cold. But frozen limbs had finally slacked and now lay in a tired and still unconscious heap. But luckily the start a new heartbeat rose, the once seeming statue regenerating its life anew. And what to start it without the opening of golden eyes to a room aglow with the same light and to a large beast asleep amongst the gold coins. 

The statue was not as it seemed at all, in fact it  it was a small girl who upon the attack of the dragon was frozen inside the water she had not known to swim out of. The girl was startled to see- or rather not to see water around her- that she was sitting upon piles of gold and worse, a fierce beast in slumber that towered over her just by laying where it was. It was no wonder why she trembled in her fear, men larger than herself would be as well but she, she was no older than six. She wanted to move but fear of the noise she might make and wake the dragon stilled her. Despite that she could now freely move, her fear froze her just as though she was once again frozen in the ice. She turned her head stiffly, eyes prickling painfully as her eyes watered with fresh tears. It was only when she saw the stairs closest to her that she had a spark of courage and merely shifted her leg so she could stand. Though the gold coins sliding down, causing more and more of a disturbance and knocking coins along the way from their own settled nest, was enough that . 

The girl stared in fear as the sound reverberated throughout the large hall and feared what the sound had caused. She looked behind her and saw to a new horror that a large eye had opened and was now staring at her, the red of the beasts eye showed that the next movement might be her last. The small girl shot up, her legs quickly carrying her towards the door just in time to miss the giant claws that had meant to come down upon her head. Enraged, the dragon roared, his chest growing with his intake of breath and lighting as he prepared his fire. He moved forward towards the girl, letting free his fire. The girl had been lucky enough to slip into the opening, braid and all before the fire passed. Then a deep rumble echoed through the hall. 

“Statue I thought, but not a statue at all.” So it said, the words from the throat of the beast, Smaug.

“Tell me, child. How did one as small as you find your way in that chamber of ice. You are not a dwarf nor are you man or elf.” He said inching closer as he spoke. He had no care to be quiet as the girl was trapped where she was. But she did not reply, her words would choke her if she tried. Despite it, the dragon continued on. 

“Come out, child. I will not hurt you if you simply let me see you.” He said of course lying to get the creature to show itself, all to be rid of it. But as he sucked in a breath to gift the creature with fire, the first sign of the girl peaked about the corner and a cautious golden eye gazed at the dragon and his breath caught. Had it not been for the extent of her eyes she would have been killed, roasted and eaten as a snack for the dragon but he was truly captivated at the new living treasure before him. “Your eyes…they are like the gold coins beneath my claws…” He stated in awe. “Tell me, child. How is it that you came by such orbs of gold?” He questioned, lowering his head to stare at the girl who still only peaked about the corner. This time, a small and trembling voice answered, hardly overpowering the noise the dragon made. 

“I-I am Slytha. I know I was blessed by my mother these eyes, but I do not know my mother.”

So she said, still afraid by the Dragon’s appearance. The dragon gave a growl, hoping that maybe there were more like her kind, to keep company but being such a living treasure still it would be the finest of his collection. But knowing it was just the small girl disappointed him but he kept his anger contained so not to frighten the girl back into hiding. Instead he settled down where he was calm and waited for the girl known as Slytha. “Come, child. I do promise not to harm you. Instead you will be part of my large collection here.” He said watching as she looked at him fully now.

“You promise?” She said, the shake in her legs slowly coming to a halt. The dragon merely blinked and in which she suddenly had a strong trust in the dragon. Slowly she inched out, her hands still upon the corner of the door just in case it became necessary to jump back into the shelter of the opening. “W-who are you?” She asked, her small voice losing its fear just lightly and with a bit more courage she came to stand near him, by his head so he could see her and she could look at the expanse of his body. A deep chuckle erupted in his throat, one that reverberated through the coins nearest to him. 

“I am Smaug the Magnificent, king under the mountain, and conqueror of this great treasure.” He said, Lifting his head and gazing at her at his new height. He took notice of her other "treasurable" traits such as the golden streaks in her hair, also accompanied by a color that resembled pearls.

She sat on her knees a good ways in front of him, staring at his scales for a moment before a question rose. “What happened to the dwarves?” She asked, curious and scared. Where was her mother? Where was the she-dwarf that had taken her in at the age of four? It was something she had to know, even if it wasn’t a question she was supposed to ask. Smaug’s tone did not change to a darker one; in fact it lightened to amusement. 

“They are gone, child. Long since dead or eaten. Their greed brought my lust and their undoing.” He said with a twinge of amusement though the girl grew quiet and did not speak for many moments. Smaug only took notice of it when she did not reply after minutes passed. “Why, child? Why is it you ask of that filth of a race?” He asked not caring much the answer.

“The lady who took me in was here. Her and her husband took me in and became my family… So does that mean they are dead too?” She said monotonously, taking a moment before looking up at the dragon with minimal hope that they still survived. But even if the dragon was as cold hearted as the fire drake he was,  he could not find an answer to the girl’s question, nor could he even state what truth he knew. Instead he changed the conversation. 

“Tell me, child. What age are you? You seem young yet your tongue holds great intelligence. Does your appearance betray the truth?” He asked, not having taken notice that avoided her question.

“I am six years old.” She said softly, disappointed that he didn't answer her question but didn’t push it. Smaug mentally grew curious, lifting himself up and turning about so he could go back to his spot, the one he nested himself in repeatedly, the indent of such use evident. 

“Come, child. I have not had company for many years. Speak to me and keep me company, and be forever part of my collection.” He said, settling down once again. At first, Slytha did not move but she lifted herself and began for the dragon, feeling he meant no danger now. 

With that in mind she settled with him, talking many hours even if it was not in the riddles a dragon took pleasure in listening to. And even if Smaug the Magnificent may not have admitted it or mentioned it even, he had in fact enjoyed the conversation with the child, even sputtering a chuckle on occasion at her misunderstanding innocence.  And it continued still for the years to come despite the dragon, as they were known for their bitter cruelty for the sake of treasure. But that day it softened enough to let the girl live as a new piece to his great collection.


	3. What Smaug Received

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little situation that Smaug got himself into and he's not all that used to it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now, it is official, I will update every Friday if I can.  
> Expect this story to be short, sweet, and regularly awesome on Fridays.

~*~Four Years Later~*~

The scuttling of bare feet filled the empty air and it changed to the clinging and beating of coins as they slid and tumbled down large piles. Soon with the noise came a voice, hurried and excited. 

“Smaug! Rise up now! You said you would take me out this day!” So it said and before long a grumble followed. Slytha hurried up his scaled body, stopping only when she ran across his back, reaching his head. “Come now, dear Smaug. You promised to take me out of the mountain on the day I turn ten! Today is that day! Now up!” She exclaimed excitedly, leaning over his brow and to his eye, watching it shutter before opening slightly. 

“Child, I have told you time and again not to wake me in my slumber, yet you continue to disobey my bidding.” He said with a throaty growl, stubbornly keeping his eye mostly closed so the light would not bother whatever sleep he had left. “Off my head or you’ll be my next meal.” He grumbled, satisfied as the girl slid from his snout.

“Come now, you promised me two years ago of this day!” She said, once again in front of one of his eyes, looking at him sternly. It almost agitated the dragon at his patience for the girl. No matter his irritancy toward her he wouldn’t just simply kill and be done with it. As it would seem he couldn’t; which also irritated him. In defiance to his want to sleep she continued to pester him, shouting his name and continually reminding him of his promise to her on her eighth birthday. Why he even made such a promise he didn’t know and now he was regretting it. He let out a puff of smoke from his nose and with a lazy groan before looking down at her. 

“Do not take for granted my not roasting you to a delectable crisp.” He said, lifting himself up. With a snort he began his way for the entrance, his steps slow and heavier than they usually were. “If you want up child, you must find your own way.” He said, such being his way of revenge. With a gasp, bare feet against cold stone were once again heard as she hurried off to find a high ledge of some sort to get atop the great dragon. It was an exciting adventure for her as she was never truly allowed on him; he would always grow angry at her and mumble on about the disrespect. Now that it was allowed she was in a hurry to find a way on. 

“Hold on, Smaug! You are going to fast!” She squealed though it was once again in excitement as she ran upstairs and across platforms. Quickly, she jumped, fearing she wouldn’t get anywhere quick enough. The first moments seemed stable but she wasn’t able to keep a grip, slowly sliding over his back before her feet weren’t scrabbling on scales anymore and were instead swinging madly in the air. Soon her body followed and it felt to her that she was suspended in air for many minutes. It was a shock for her but such slow moments ended when she was suddenly in a large clawed hand, claws like cages around her and the padded digits carefully cradling her.

“Child! Be careful! Your death will come for you if you heed my warnings or not!” Smaug suddenly roared anger and something else mixed with in his voice. Silence fell as the echoes of the dragons rage passed.  Slytha stared at Smaug for a moment before giving a quiet apology, her voice shrinking in fear and shock. Smaug lifted her to safely sit upon his back, stopping for a mere second to let her situate herself. Once she was safely at the base of his neck, Smaug began off again, the entrance near. 

The instant his rear reached the cool air he let his wings lift, spread, and stretch before they cast down in a heavy stroke and suspended him up from the ground. Despite her previous disappointment she giggled excitedly as she saw the expanse of the mountain ahead of her, finally. But the mountain was a sad sight to her for it was scorched as it shouldn’t be. Corpses of plants were around but when Smaug landed upon the top, Slytha was just satisfied to be out in the open. So they sat outside for many hours, allowing Slytha to gaze out upon the land to see the misty mountains and the lake with its lonely little town upon it. They sat until the sun began to set and the sky was set ablaze in the fires of the sun’s passion. It was then that the comfortable silence broke.

 

“Smaug?” Slytha’s small voice asked, the fear she once had as a small six year old long gone. Smaug let out a tired hum that he was listening and looked down on her, the girl with the strange appearance. Her ears perk and the streaks of gold and pearl glimmering in the sun.  “Will I stay here with you forever?” She asked. The question had caught the dragon off guard and the great king under the mountain turned to her in surprise. 

“Why do you suddenly ask this, child?” He asked in return. Slytha let out a sound of disappointment; his questions to her own were a common thing. For once she wanted a straight answer. 

“I do like it here.” She whispered quietly, a sigh passing her lips. “Is it possible to stay here forever?” She asked, her question changing. If to get it answered meant having to repeat it, she would. Smaug let out a deep grumble, smoke billowing from his nostrils lazily.

“It is not, child. All besides Elves grow old, and when others grow old enough, they pass away.” He said, looking out over Middle-Earth. 

“You mean die?” She inquired blankly, staring forward. But the only response she received was a growl and the dragon standing from his spot, the girl having not expected such quick movement and her arms were unable to hold her and her face came into contact with Smaug’s scales. She didn’t move to lift herself though and she stayed lying on his neck, thinking a little. The dragon made his way down the mountain, this time only walking down to the front entrance. As the sun began to disappear over the misty mountains and Mirkwood, Slytha had a final few questions that would be left unanswered. 

“Will I ever leave the Lonely Mountain?” She asked tiredly, growing tired against the warmth of the dragon. “Will I ever see what is beyond the view we have now? Will I ever venture the rest of Middle-Earth?” She asked with a voice laced in sleep. At first Smaug was angered that she wished for more beyond what he had given her but he knew understood such wishes beneath his surprisingly cold scales for a fire drake. He turned to scold her but found her comfortably asleep, eyes closed. 

He also took notice of something he hadn’t before. On her skin appeared to be marks of some kind but they were gold, hard to see to maybe a man’s eye and noticeable by a hard looking dwarf but to a gold lusting dragon it stuck out like an oddly colored sore. Smaug silently stared at her before turning back to walk inside, coming to his little “nest” and settling down carefully, not moving too much so Slytha wouldn’t slip from his back. Instead he let her stay there, laying down his head, closing his eyes and grumbling in what he thought was irritation,  before his mind calmed and soon slept.

 


	4. What Smaug had to Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slytha being a smart ass and not dying miraculously by it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting recently, I had soooo much going on. Hopefully this is worth it and I will be posting more chapters after this one since my lack of chapters over the few

~*~Twenty Years Later~*~

“Child, for the last time. I will not find that treasure. Bring it back to me this instant!” So Smaug roared, trying to dig at the door way the girl had hid herself in. A childish giggle came from the door above the noise of the dragon’s claws against the carved rock.

“You will not get it back if you do not find it!” So the small voice said, the source of it a girl that sat back in the doorway with a triumphant smile. She had grown quite a lot but was still a child in appearance. If anything she looked to be a fourteen year old human child despite her differences of appearance.

Smaug growled, “Child, do not test me!” He said, stopping his assault on the opening to look inside the door. She stood there with a smile on her lips, tapping a foot.

“It is your own fault that you do not play with me. I would be satisfied if all you did was look.” She stated at the large eye staring at her angrily.

“Do you play me for a fool, Child? I am a dragon, the only games I might ever play anymore involve riddles and chasing fools who enter the mountain for my gold!” He replied, growing impatient at her reluctance to show him where his precious gold was hidden. “Find it now lest I break your hands…” Said Smaug, ripping at the opening once again in frustration. But the girl only smiled and continued further inside the small channel.

“That is your own job, Smaug. It is a gold hunt! You cannot always lay on your gold! This is for entertainment!” She said, traveling up the stairs inside before stopping as she reached another opening. “Think of it like you are finding new gold to add to your collection!” She said smiling, barely peeking from her new spot. The dragon gave a sigh.

“Will you not give up this ridiculous muse?” The dragon asked rhetorically before marching off a ways. “Fine, Child, but I will only look if you tell me which area it is in.” He grumbled. Slytha jumped from her place in her happiness, letting out a cheer. In which she followed after the dragon, the two going in search of the treasure Slytha had hidden.

 

~*~A month passed~*~

 

Slytha sat confused as smaug dug about a room, ordering her not to move from her spot as he apparently had something for her. So she sat in wait, swinging her feet about as she sat on an old chair, watching his bottom dangle and his torso disappearing as a large door swallowed it. After a few moments his head finally reappeared though it seemed his mouth held something. When he stopped in front of her, the thing in his mouth dropped, landing with a horrible clang.

“Open it Child” Smaug said, laying down to watch her. Slytha hopped up and walked toward the chest. She at first only stared at it, thinking the detail actually quite beautiful but at the hot huff that came from the dragon she laced her fingers under the opening and pulled up. It took a bit because the lid was too heavy for her but as she continued to try it began to open.

When the lid finally opened for her it rested back as far as it would go she looked on the inside and found what looked like…. Well she didn’t know. Slytha could recall at one point having seen it when her adopted mother brought it out but now she couldn’t remember at all what it was.

“It is paper, Child. Inside should be ink as well.” Smaug said, his head leaning over so he could check inside. The girl looked up at him confused.

“What is it for?” Slytha asked confused. The large dragon stared at her for a moment before he chuckled in a more surprised amusement.

“For writing, child. I assumed you had little or no experience at the age I found you.” He said gesturing back toward the chest. “From today on I want you to practice writing runes, if you will. I know that somewhere inside that chest is a book on all of them and the literary system.” He said lifting himself again to head back to his “nest.”

Slytha looked at the parchment and the books, pulling them out and instantly opening them. The she-dwarf had taught her to read a little from random monstrous books so it wouldn’t be impossible for her to do but it would be difficult as she knew no more than elementary words. On the upside though, it had all been dwarfish. So she began, not with a bitter taste on it, in fact she was rather excited about it.

 

~*~ I think I’ll have five more years pass hehe~*~

 

Slytha was growing more intelligent by the day as Smaug would send her to fetch books from the library(Ones that weren’t destroyed or burnt to ash), bring them back and read them to him. Her writings had improved but now it was in his entertainment to task her with writing songs and poetry. Every single one he would frown at and have her rewrite or create new ones, Slytha bringing them back new and much better than before but gaining no praise. He was waiting for her to bring the best yet to give praise. Slytha was after all not the type at all to turn away from a failing task; instead she would grow irritated and make it a mission to make better on the task.

Today though, Smaug would be teaching her something new.  Despite her age, she was just like a dwarf. At the age of thirty-five, the girl was still barely seemed older than a fourteen year old in terms of human women. But if one were to count the missing years inside the ice then Slytha was actually fifty-nine years of age.

Smaug sat in wait for her to finish the book she was reading before he spoke up. Slytha closed the book, setting it down with a sigh and looking up at the great dragon. “That was nice…Do you want me to go get another one?” She asked, getting up off her sore bottom with the need to walk about. Smaug let hot air pass from his nostrils, “No, child.” He said, lifting his head up higher to look about the room for a clear spot. “Tell me, child; do you know how to dance?” He asked, looking down at her.

The girl grew confused but nodded, “I only know a little but I have not danced in sometime.” She said, walking closer to his chest. The mountain was colder as it was prepared to greet winter readily. Even Smaug’s heat that had always seemed to suffocate the mountain did not hold its effect.

With that Smaug caught hold of the back of Slytha’s clothes with his teeth, gently as to not rip them and began toward a clear spot where the floor actually shown through the mess of coins. He placed her down, laying about the clear circle.

“Then let me teach you, Child as I sometimes miss watching maidens dance.” He said,  Slytha watching him with an amused smile as he lay down. At first he lay in silence as he thought about what would be best to teach her first that was both easy and entertaining and before long she was clearing the space of any stray coins and readying herself to follow the movements he began to say. And in truth it was not long at all before she was dancing gracefully in long and beautiful moments with a soundless tune.

 

 


	5. What Slytha thought

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sytha finds a harp and thinks over her life and knowledge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter. While most of these are short anyway, this chapter just lost my motivation.  
> This poor little chapter is just a filler in truth, I can't find a point for it really but it holds some significance and importance.

~*~I like starting with time skips-Ten years later~*~

Smaug sat in a stupor as he grew tired once more, this would have been his third time sleeping if it wasn’t for the soft slapping of feet walking to him. Of course it soon met the piles of gold, drawing the attention of the dragon. “What is it child?” Smaug asked, looking at the girl as she came along. But she was holding something, a gold harp so it looked. At seeing this, the dragon lifted his head curiously.

“Smaug, what is this? It makes sound when I touch the strings.” She said as she continued to stare at the instrument. Smaug only chuckled.

“It is a harp, child. It is for playing music.” He said softly, looking closer at the golden harp.

“How is it played?” Slytha asked, holding it up for Smaug to see better.

Smaug lay his head down again, “If you wish it, I can teach you to play it as I taught you to dance and write.” He said softly, already slipping into a warm sleep.

“Could you please? I want to know more of this Harp!” Slytha said excitedly though at noticing the dragon had fallen asleep again she batted him on the nose. “Smaug! Must I do this with you every time you promise something!?” She said with a huff.

“Must I repeatedly remind you not to wake me, child?” Smaug growled back, snorting with a puff of smoke and opening his eyes to look at her. “I will teach you, but let me sleep. You have been a hindrance in it recently.” He said with a tired groan, closing his eyes again and settling down. Slytha sighed but said no more, climbing up near his shoulder and sitting down. It was almost winter again so all the warmth she could take pleasure in, she would. She sat in boredom, randomly plucking the strings and listening to their sounds. They were lulling and melodic, and she loved everything about it. But besides that, it made her sleepy.  She gave a yawn, drifting off even as her fingers grazed the strings.

And eventually, she fell asleep, her fingers dropping to the rim of the harp and her head drooping to the side and resting against Smaug’s large shoulder.

Over the years, Smaug had told her of how old she really was, (Age forty five with the exception of some forty more years in the ice, so eighty five), and many other things, such as the history of the lonely mountain that she knew little of. She learned eventually of the Durin line, of Thror, Thrane, and Thorin. She was taught of their greed and violence and of how they and most dwarves were drawn to gold like dragons, and for the arkenstone they had a madness that rivaled the rage of dragons. In his tales of the other creatures like orcs and men, she grew fearful of ever meeting them. But strangely enough the elves, no matter the bad the things that were spoken of them, they always seemed regal and beautiful.

Humans on the other hand, were a bland and murderous species. They didn’t frighten her like the orc’s and dwarves did but they were a species she really wouldn’t want to bother with. What she was? She didn’t know. Even when she asked Smaug of it, he could only hop over the answer she wanted from him. Something she came to know as his denial of ignorance. She had seen pictures of humans, dwarves, and elves, but nothing even remotely came close to her own kind. It was a great disappointment. Some years ago, she had given up on trying to place herself in another species, finding that she much rather prefered dragons over anything anyway, despite not only her size difference but lack of scales, tale and whatever else. Smaug, despite his hostility most times, became a very important being in Slytha’s life.


	6. What Smaug Said

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slytha leaves for a small amount of time for the chance to see the Desolation of Smaug, and what happens when she returns.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! finally back on track, but the story is four chapters away from ending!  
> *Insert dramatic music here*  
> Soon it won't just be stories, it will be the end. What happens to start this ending climax? You shall see soon.

Today, Slytha was sneaking away from the mountain.

 

    Not to run away, but rather to finally explore the outside some. The inside of the mountain had grown dreary and lonely since Smaug had gone to sleep. Has been for nearly a month now. Five years ago she had been taught to play the harp where Smaug soon after fell into a sleep like this once. She hadn’t the courage to step outside then, but now she just wanted to see the sunset.

    So here she was, standing in the opening of the mountain and staring out into the vast lands she never saw much of. Even when her mother had taken her in and brought her here, she only ever left the mountain to see the great City of Dale. It was an excitement now to see the outside, to see the dead grass so close without a dragon forbidding her to even touch it.

    With a giddy giggle she began out, sprinting at a quick speed though not minding that every step was merciless dry dirt and shrub corpses. It was a thrill to feel the cold morning air as she ran, and the foliage below her turned from corpses to damp greenery. With a leap, she whooped into the morning air, her destination set for Dale. From where she was, it looked like a crumbled city of pure ruin but she wanted to see it again, even if it meant knowing everyone was gone.

And only when her bare feet stepped upon broken stone did she stop.

    The town was covered in a mist, grey and cold. So much so that it sent shivers up her spine and gave her a sense of a haunting terror. All around she saw corpses of all kinds and destroyed buildings, shops that she even remembered going to. She moved forward and dared not look behind, afraid that maybe there would be a corpse of the owner. She never spent much time outside, but she could remember all the dwarves she knew when she had gone out. Now being away for so long and coming back to this place where the cheer and merriment was gone it gave her a feeling she was sure she hadn’t felt in nearly fifty years. Fear and sadness. For a long while she wandered the city, looking at buildings she remembered or bakeries she was spoiled at before she forced herself to start heading back to the mountain.

Part of her was glad for getting out of the mountain to see the area, but now part of her, the part she hated, was smothering itself in sorrow. And what was worse, she knew it was the dragon who raised her that destroyed the wonderful City of Dale.

So with a sodden excitement and a beaten vigor, she began back for the mountain, pausing for only a small while outside to see the sun set once more. It had been a great many years since she had seen it, but there was no happiness this time, she watched it and let her happy memories of Dale set with it.

 

When Slytha was inside, weaving through different tunnels that she hadn’t left through, she saw Smaug awake, his muzzle stuck inside a door by what she could see. The dragon seemed frantic and battling to struggle in. And she soon understood why. She had left through that door earlier, he must have though she left.

“Smaug?” She called, halting the dragon in his panicked attack on the door. His large head turned to her, a sneer upon his scaled mouth.

“And where were you?” He asked, stomping over to her with steps so heavy Slytha could hardly stand on her feet and fell to her rump. “Where did you go? Your scent was stale.” He growled stopping in front of the girl.

“I was outside... in Dale.” She replied, unsure if she should be worried of his anger or if she should face him straight on.

“You are not allowed to leave, child! You are to stay here!” The dragon bellowed deeply, shaking the large room they were in with the echoes of his rage.

“What does it matter if I leave? You have plenty here to last you forever it seems! What would it matter if I, a simple trinket of treasure, one hardly worth more than the ice you found me in, left?”

“It would! I have a simple ambition, child, and that is to claim what I can. Even if a trinket like you vanished from my sight, I would lose rather than gain, thus destroying an ambition I more than gladly destroyed the dwarves for!” He roared to the girl, stopping a retort that hung from her tongue. Smaug snorted victoriously and began back to his nest, flopping down with a deep breath and release of air that carried fire. He said no more, but he had no need to.

Slytha sat where she was, her mood trodden upon, the wound graciously gifted with salt. What Smaug said left her legs weak, she could not lift herself to move even if she wanted to. Despite the years she spent with the dragon, the years she thought were grand and fruit bearing had been burned away with the simple whisper of a dragon.

Laying down lazily where Slytha was, she whimpered and stared back at where she came in, deciding in the end that her day of going to the Dale was far worse than she intended. She had no Intention of going back, but she did however have one thing on her mind.

            “But....I came back...” she whispered aloud to herself, pouting now as she wondered why he was so angry. If he valued treasure so much, why could he not just be happy that it was returned? For a moment, Sytha wondered why it got so quiet, the huffing and puffing of the dragon ceasing. But the strange girl kept to herself, tuned out, and stared blankly and sadly back to the place she came back in, loathing its temptation and its success at destroying a happy day.


	7. What Smaug Missed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day the mountain is graced with a guest, but Smaug is not the one to meet them first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am really sick again; yeay to my health! But here we go, the chapter is uploaded and ready to read because and only because it was already typed up. Only three chapters after this(and possibly a bonus) So here we reach the beginning of the end! Onward!

*Assume in this chapter that bold italics mean Middle Earth/English-thing and regular speak is in Dwarvish*

  
  


The tension from Smaug’s words had never truly dissolved. Slytha was one hundred ninety-three now and by what the dragon told her, her life span seemed to resemble a dwarf or an elf more than anything. He also told her that if she were living in the terms of a human, she would already be dead.

Over the many years Slytha had spent with Smaug, she had matured and what was more, the markings over her skin were much more bold. The strange streaks in her hair had chosen patterns but the obsidian black that was her hair still overpowered the extra colors. Her eyes were still the striking gold they had been before with the slight difference that they had outlined themselves in the pearly white that graced her hair as well.

The girl was now in the library, educating herself with the last few books she hadn’t yet read. She did anything in her power to avoid the dragon recently, especially after what happened one hundred years ago. Now it involved reading the intact books and avoiding the burnt parts. Smaug seemed to have no care for her lack of vigor, the long and prosperous, curious fueled conversations they had turning into one word responses or simple questions that needed only confirmation.

But behind the scenes, Smaug in fact was irate that he lost the only source of conversation he had. There were no words to share with his beloved gold. He was bored and yet there was something else. Was this lack of company described by something else? Even the fire drake would scoff at this and turn over to bury himself in gold. He merely thought the feeling uncomfortable and curable by finding a new means of sleeping.

And so he did, Smaug closed his eyes in irritation and fell to sleep, thinking that Slytha would be fine finding a rabbit morsel on her own for the next week.

What he did not expect was that three nights later, company would most definitely come uninvited. This time, Smaug would not be the one to greet it.

Once again, Slytha was inside the charred library, picking out her fill of books. She gathered the three large paper blocks into her arms and began out of the crumbling area. With precise stealth, a trait she acquired over the years for trying to avoid Smaug as she played with him, now to avoid him, she walked to the overlook, the place just above the door where she liked to believe the dwarves looked out to the once lush land. Maybe where they saw and feared the dragon that stole their kingdom. And so she sat, pulling a book into her small lap, and trying to sweep the long braid her mother had taught her to weave(much too long ago than it should be) from under her rump, and then she began to read. The light of day bathed the page, almost too brightly but still pleasantly. It was a telling of the mines, how deep they went (even though she explored there and nearly fell to her death) and just how prosperous it was with its riches. How the dwarves would go so deep and yet the gold and gems would reflect the light to make it seem like there was no darkness except for below.

These tellings almost always made her believe that there was no bottom, that the mines in the mountain went so deep that it could have even reached into hell. It was a thought that scared her when she was younger and persuaded her easily not to venture further into the abyss.

Slytha was so deep into the story that she jumped to her feet when she heard a strange sound. It seemed to echo into the mountain behind her, her strange ears flicking and her golden eyes swiveling to look back and see what it might have been. She ran to the stairs quickly, peaking over the rail to see what it may have been. If she was lucky, it could very well be a large animal. Something to make her meal for the night easier. But when she saw the crouching thing, she froze. It was no animal. It was a large, bipedal creature, and it held a weapon to hold itself up. For a second it swayed on its feet then with a mighty clatter, fell motionless to the ground.

Slytha only stared at it, afraid of going near. She knew what it was, it was too tall for another dwarf and to bulk for that of an elf (and this was all by the pretty pictures in books). This thing was a human man.

‘Maybe I should wake Smaug...’ she thought to herself as she crept down the stairs to inch around the body. But her mind changed itself as quickly as she said that and instead, she began towards it with a little more confidence. Coming upon it in her own cautious crouch, she flicked the longer hair of the man from his face, excited to see a real human. She studied him, the curvatures of his face and neck and then the strange garments he wore. They were all so foreign. It was a very nice change for once.

She wanted the chance to study him more and with a bit more difficulty, pushed him over, gritting her teeth at his weight. Though before he was on his back a hand took a none too gentle grip on her wrist, Slytha springing up in surprise with a yelp. She in a frantic attempt tried to pry his hand off of her wrist. She was terrified. She thought he was dead. Did he come back to life?

“ ** _...He..lp....me...._** ” A rough and rugged voice spoke. Slytha stopped, staring at the man who now stared back with eyes that looked dead. He had said something, but she couldn’t understand it.

“Let me go.” She said quickly. Trying again to tug free. It was a futile struggle as his grip remained as strong as it had before. For a dying man(or a dead man) he was rather strong.

“ ** _Please....._** ” the strange man said again before he said something that surprised her in the midst of his gibberish. “Please...”

Slytha stared at him in surprise, stopping her attempts to flee and crouching to him. “You speak dwarvish?” She asked, but received no response. The man let free a breath and lost his mind again to darkness. “Wait! You know dwarvish? What were you saying before!! Wait!” She tried. She began to shake the man, wanting answers.

Her fingers had slipped under his metal clothes in an attempt to shake him awake easier. Though they came in contact with something wet, and she pulled part of his strange clothes up. There was blood there. She didn’t need to know what he said then, she could guess as much of what he said.

But if she brought the man inside, Smaug would smell him and most likely kill him. But she wanted to know more about this man, about the world outside. Something told the girl that if he survived, the answers she wanted would be given. So with a deep breath and the preparation for whatever rage she may face of the dragon later, she ran further inside, hoping to search the rabbit burrows in random places, or even find other lizards all so she could mask his scent.

Slytha was going to help this man. And she was going to make sure Smaug didn’t catch wind of him.

 

 


	8. What was Planned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stranger is there, awake, and giving Slytha information she long since wanted. But he needs to leave lest he wants to be eaten by a dragon. But how?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty.  
> I might as well make this a Christmas event.  
> Now I am going to be hosting a contest from tomorrow until the 31st of December.  
> What's it for?  
> Designing Slytha! Now, I will have a picture of how I see her up, the prize is 1000 DA points because I have a lot left over from another contest. If you want to participate, do it! I'll be happy to see you join!  
> JokerzTriKz - DeviantArt  
> See ya!

Eyes woke to a dim lit room, the flickering light a telltale sign of candle light or maybe even a dying fire light. Wherever this soul was, he felt the pain in his chest spreading as he woke more and more. He bothered not to move his body all too much and instead looked over to the fire light. It was not the pleasant sight he was hoping for. There were corpses of animals all around the fire and blood everywhere. He looked down to himself and saw that his armor was missing with his weapons and baggage. He too was covered in copious amounts of blood. Despite the pain in his chest he lifted himself and luckily enough found his weapons. The dagger he was lucky enough to pull when he heard footsteps growing closer.

He had a split second thought that this captor may have been smarter if his weapons weren’t so close, but he was concentrated now on the grand doorway. With in the single second he first saw the shape enter the crack in the doorway, he thought first to lunge at the person, attack and be done with it, but something kept him in place. And the second passed again, the form stepping into the room completely. They in turn were glistening with blood, and in their hands were more animal corpses. The person stopped, staring at the man in surprise, wide eyes that glistened gold in the fire light. He was the first to say anything.

“ Where am I? ” He asked first before he rephrased his question. “ Where have you taken me? ” But the lady before him blinked in confusion, setting the animals down and crouching. She began to scoot closer, making him uneasy. He pulled his dagger in front of him, pointed at her which in turn halted her advancement. “ Answer me! ” 

But she in turn remained silent, the confused look upon her face lifting an eyebrow and allowing her to cock her head in thought. It was then that he noticed her differences. Her ears, her eyes, the colors laced through her skin, and even the streaks of gold and pearl in her hair. It only then occurred to him that maybe she didn’t know what he was saying.

“I thought....you spoke dwarvish before.” She said, not looking at him but rather at the floor before her. “Now you are back to your strange language...” She seemed to pout, settling by the dim fire and staring into it.

The man at first knew not what to say but he decided to ensure her, he understood.

“I do...but how do you know that...?” He asked the girl, her head shooting up and looking at him with a new look of vigor. 

“So you do! Oh- you were delirious when I found you. But you asked for my help in dwarvish before you lost your consciousness.” She said, turning to him fully. 

“I see...So...where am I? Where have you brought me?” He asked, putting his dagger down now that he didn’t feel she meant harm.

“You stumbled into the mountain, so to keep your scent from spreading I brought you into the nearest room...that is also why you are covered in blood.”

“My scent? Mountain? You have not told me where I am yet.” The man said with a huff, trying to put off the thought of blood.

“Oh....You are in Erebor. I don’t know if you were wandering or just mad, but yes. And in order to keep Smaug from sniffing you out and making a morsel of you, I had to keep your scent covered. You are quite pungent you know.” So the girl said, getting up for a moment to find something to add to the fire, before sitting down and pulling one of the animals she brought in with her over the fire. 

“Erebor you...say...?” The man asked in terror. He was in the lair of the mighty dragon. He was trespassing on territory he meant to avoid. Being ambushed by those horrid bandits must have made him desperate for shelter, otherwise he was confused as to why he would go to such a terrifying place. “Please, I need to get out of here!”

He shouted, frantic. But immediately he was shushed down by the girl. “Are you mad?! I did not spend all that time searching for animal lives just so you could let yourself be found by yelling!” She whispered urgently. The man in turn shut his mouth quickly, realizing his idiocy. “Anyway, you can not leave. Not yet anyway. I want answers from you- and you need some time to heal.” She said, looking to his chest- which he now realized was bound. With a sigh, he glanced to the door before looking back to her. 

“Alright, so be it. But at least let me know your name.” He said, debating whether to lay back or not. 

“Why do want to know that?” She asked, staring at him with a raised eyebrow again.

“It is merely a formal custom. And I would have nothing to call you by.” He said. “My name is Osgar, and....yours?”

The girl looked weary before smiling in turn, “My name is Slytha.”

 

*~~0~~*

 

A month passed, and Slytha learned more than she could have ever learned from the library. Osgar traveled Middle Earth and was not only a linguist but was a human who traveled to study civilizations of all kinds. At one point she had even asked him if he knew her own kind but she alas still learned nothing, Osgar hadn’t a clue to what she was either.

He asked at one point if Smaug knew of her presence and was surprised to learn that he had in fact raised her for many years. He was more surprised to learn of her age. They had long discussions of what they did daily, Osgar explaining that he adored cultures of forests and thought the elves wondrous creatures, more so the deers he could find. Slytha merely said she had adventures like that in the form of books. But luckily enough, he seemed more than eager to trade his knowledge for her questions which neither seemed to run dry.

“Why haven’t you left then?” He asked one day. “Why don’t you leave with me?” 

Slytha in turn answered, “He may not be the kindest, but he has raised me, even though as a trinket. Keeping me alive all these years has been a gift, I will honor Smaug for that even though my sadness to realize he has no regard for me overpowers my reason sometimes.”

By the end of the month, Osgar was healed and ready to leave which in turn put Slytha in a downed mood. He promised that by the end of the week he would leave. She said nothing to stop him.

But when the day came, trouble proved to strangle good days again. Smaug woke from his long time slumber and called for Slytha while she was ready to see Osgar off. Osgar was panicked while Slytha was worried. If Osgar was caught, then that would mean his end. Slytha was determined not to let that happen.

“Stay here. If he is awake, then we may need to wait for the next time he sleeps.” She said, taking a few of the freshly killed rabbits and crawling from that area. She with a breath, began walking for the awakened dragon, hoping that Osgar’s scent would not trail after, that she had successfully hidden it enough to extinguish it. The dragon, after all, had a very sensitive nose. And finally, she came upon the golden lit room, the dragon sitting in wait for the girl. 

“Ah, there you are. It seems you have not been through here for sometime, I grew worried you had gone again.” He said, noticing the animals in her hands.

“These are for you...well in truth, me but I got to many so...” She said, walking forward and dropping them for Smaug to eat. Slytha showed no signs of her secrets but it did not stop her worry when she got close and could hear him breathing above her. She stepped back for a moment before plopping down like she used to and staring up at him. “Did you sleep well?”

Smaug stared at her for a moment before laying down and sweeping up the dead rabbits  with his tongue. Swallowing the creatures hole he looked at Slytha. 

“I slept well, what all did you do while I slept?” He asked, enjoying the old feel of being able to converse. 

“I....indulged in more information is all. Broadening my own knowledge.” She said, not lying in the least. Smaug in turn nodded. “Did you call me for something?” She asked, staring at him curiously. 

“...I Suppose not...actually,” He said, gesturing his head to a clear space. “I thought it might be nice to watch you dance again. I have not seen it in sometime.” He said, looking to her. 

“I have not danced for a long time, Smaug. Are you sure you would have me dance? It may very well turn out awkward and stiff...” She said. Smaug thought about it a second before nodding.

“Very well then, maybe we will pick up practice again. What of your writings? I haven’t been read them in a long time as well. I hope you kept up with those at least.” He said, staring back at her again. Slytha was silent, staring at the floor by Smaug. After the moment’s silence she continued again. 

“Yes....would you like me to retrieve them?” She asked, standing up now. Smaug merely nodded and she was off. She would be stopping to see Osgar first, telling him they should wait for the night at least to make the decision and only then would she return to Smaug with her literature.

She ran into the room Osgar was in, the other man looking up in surprise. “Smaug expects my company. I most likely won’t return until nightfall.” She said quickly, keeping by the door frame. “At least wait until then to make your decision, lest you wish for death.” Slytha stated before running off without a word of confirmation. She ran all the way to library, pushing open the heavy lidded chest she first gained her knowledge on writing runes. There were many papers  inside and the most recent were off to the side with neat, spider-like written runes. She gathered them quickly and began back for the dragon, hoping the day would pass quickly and Smaug would wish only to hear her writings.

When night cascaded over the sky, Smaug crawled off elsewhere, allowing Slytha to gather her things. Smaug had once again filled her with inspiration to write better, the dragon denying her talent. But now was not the time, she needed to go back to Osgar. She gathered as many papers as she could in as little time possible before charging off and being sure not to let any papers slip from her grasp. 

She slipped into the room Osgar was in where the only light came from a candle and the man was dozing off in a corner. 

“Osgar!” She whispered, poking him harshly. “It is night. But I want to hear what you want to do.” She said as the tired man looked up at her.

“Well...if I left now, what is my chance of survival?” He asked, sitting up and stretching. 

“Hmmm.....I can’t say for sure. Yes, from here I’m sure you could make it outside, but if you so much as have a gold coin stuck to your trousers he would come after you and you wouldn’t even make it to Dale.” She said. 

“And even if I were to slip free and clean?” Osgar asked, realizing the full danger of a dragon awake and moving about. 

“I’m sure the situation could swing both ways. Best case scenario, you make it and you are home free. Will not even have to worry about detection or even his strong nose catching you. Worst case scenario, I haven’t a clue on where he is at the moment.” She said softly, frowning at the thought. “He could be on a stroll to stretch his legs and you would have the unfortunate luck to run into him. Or he could even be catching the night air outside and he catches sight of you.” 

Slytha meant this as a grim thing, trying to work out any kinks and hoping the friend she had made over the month would escape safely, “I cou-” But she stopped at the sound of hushed laughing. She looked at Osgar and saw him trying to smother his chuckling, it was in a way, contagious.

“What? Why are you laughing...?” She asked, truly confused but she couldn’t help the smile. 

“You simply have a way with words. Here I am thinking you will make me feel completely sure of my survival-” He paused to let himself laugh a bit before speaking again, “And here you are telling me the complete truth. I do not give you the credit you deserve.” He finished, calming himself enough before looking at Slytha. 

She stared at him in confusion but said nothing. Had he thought her a sweet toothed kiddy? Maybe she only spoke the truth because of her years with a relentless dragon.

“Well, little deer, would you have me wait for his next hibernative sleep to then escape?” Osgar asked, settling back into his corner again. Slytha said nothing along the lines of the strange name but shrugged instead to what was suggested.

“It would be wise. I would only suggest you take the chance tonight if you feel positive that you’ll make it.” She said in turn. 

“Then I will stay. My courage only stretches so far, but let us hope until that time comes that he does not discover me.” Osgar said, Slytha nodding in return. 

‘Let us hope...’ Slytha thought before the two engaged in a quiet conversation the silent worry of the “little deer” hidden behind smiles and contentment.


	9. What Osgar Had to Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slytha comes down with a fever.

It had been nearly a month, and Smaug had yet to sleep again. Slytha awkwardly did as they used to: practicing dance, showing her writings, asking pointless questions. It was all in the hope that Smaug wouldn’t notice that she was hiding something she shouldn’t. As for Osgar, the constant supply of rabbit meat was sustaining him but Slytha was concerned on how long it would be before it wouldn’t be enough. 

Smaug on the other hand, was finding the return of company a nice change after a century of stiff resentment. Though he still had his cruel temper, Slytha strangely enough up lifted his day. Something he finally had come to terms with.

Today though, after Slytha had finished dancing for Smaug, She seemed fatigued. With the dragon satisfied, she slipped away quickly so she could once again speak with Osgar again. And so on she went through the door, finding osgar looking over books she had brought him through the course of the month. He was always like this when she would find him. 

“I’m back Osgar.” She said stepping into the room while she huffed and puffed tiredly.

“So you are.” He said with a chuckled, closing the book he was skimming and turning to her. But his expression changed when he saw her state and her paleness(that is if you could get any paler than Slytha). “Slytha...are you alright? You don’t look well.” He said, standing up and coming over to her. She merely waved him off and came to sit where the embers were lit. 

“I have no idea on what you’re talking about. I feel fine.” She said, pulling forward a rabbit. “If anything I’m just tired is all.”

Osgar frowned, ushering her over. “Come over here. I don’t think you are just tired.” He said, watching Slytha as she came over confused. He placed his hand over her head, then over her neck, his frown deepening. “You’ve a fever.” He said, looking to the face which was now contorted in confusion. 

“A fever?” She asked. “What is that?”

“You don’t-” Osgar tried to say before he paused and rethought his question. “Have you never had a fever before?” He asked, retracting his hand.

“I guess not...?” Slytha was confused. What was this fever he was talking about? 

“That’s not good. This could get bad quick. You need rest.”

“But Smaug might need me.” She said, standing back up against Osar. “I can’t. This ‘fever’ is not bad anyway, right? I will be just fine.” She said, looking to the pile of books and the one Osgar had just closed. Being that there was no call from Smaug she found that conversing for a while might not be so bad. “What were you reading?” 

“Reading? Oh yes, it was a book on the mines. The ones here in Erebor and just what wealth hey hold.” He said, pulling the book back to him.

Slytha kept a chuckle to herself. She knew that one. In fact it was the very one she was reading when Osgar wandered into the mountain. “I like to think that the mines go straight into hell. It scares me everytime from ever going down there.” She said with a smile.

“Oh, so you’ve been dow- Wait, your fever. You are actually very good at diverting attention from a subject.” He said with a sinking frown. Come now, let me at least help you some.” He said, ushering her over. Slytha in turn was hesitant, staring at his ushering hands with a frown. She actually meant to wrack up a new excuse when she heard Smaug call for her and her face lit up instead. 

“I will be back later. Good day.” She said, running out quickly. She was truly confused. He claims she has a fever but she feels nothing other than tired. If that was all a fever was then she would gladly take it if she would be sleeping like Smaug.

 

~~o0o~~

 

Oh and was Slytha tired. She had just finished dancing again a day later and reading her completed writings to Smaug. She felt awful. Her mind was pressing in on itself, making her dizzy. What was more, her head felt like it was boiling itself. After reading and stuttering all to much Smaug finally took notice of her scent.

“Child...you smell sick. Are you alright?” 

“Sick?” She asked, as she stood, wobbling on her feet as she was hit by another dizzy spell. But along the lines of sick, she wondered if sick had anything to do with this “fever.”

“Like a fever?” She asked to be sure.

“Yes child....Go, rest. I think you need it.” He said, watching her closely as she only nodded and began to walk away on unstable steps. For once he felt worried. He would not be able to help her if she was sick. If it got worse, she would die as he had no means of helping her as the dragon he was. With an uncertain growl to himself he began to follow. He did not want her collapsing where she shouldn’t. 

 

Slytha was oblivious, looking forward with tunnel vision and an absent minded destination. She only wanted to sleep, hoping the horrible feeling of the fever would pass. And so, she entered the door where Osgar sat reading, greeting him quietly.

“Hi Osgar...” She said, coming to stop as she once again saw him reading more books.

“Hello Slytha, how was you-” He stopped speaking when he looked up from his book and saw her state. “Slytha! Are you okay?!” He said, standing up and rushing over to her, leaning down(as she was really short to him) to check her temperature again. “You are worse than before.....” He said, pulling back and looking at her unsurely.

“You mean the fever...?” Slytha asked almost moving with Osgar to sit and rest. Bt stiffened when she heard Smaug again, this time closer.

“Slytha? Are you speaking with yourself...?” He asked, coming close to the lighted doorway. Said person pushed past Osgar, pushing him behind the door so he couldn’t be seen. Despite the haze of the fever, she realized the trouble of what she may have done. With quick steps she walked out the door and looked up at the towering dragon standing in the smaller hall, staring down at her with scrutinizing eyes.

“Smaug...why have you come this way? Isn’t it cramped?” She asked, wobbling on her feet. The heat radiating from the dragon messing with her already overpowering fever. “and yes....I was.....trying to figure out what to do with myself...should I get myself water or eat....” She said, feeling more tired than before. 

“I see. If you have a fever as you say, it would be best to rest, place a cold cloth over your head.” He said, looking satisfied and ready to walk back to his own nest of coins. “Rest well, Slytha...” He said, staring at the fatigued girl a moment before he turned his rump to her and began away.

Slytha on the other hand couldn’t move. Her legs were in the process of stiffening and shaking. It was a foreign feeling if one didn’t count the time she broke her leg. She felt so tired that she felt she could sleep right there. And so, her legs decided for her. She collapsed, landing first on her butt before she lent forward to feel the cold floor against her head. Her body felt weak but she didn’t care. She wouldn’t mind staying there.

Behind herself she could hear Osgar whispering urgently but she sighed. The floor felt rather nice.

“Slytha!” She heard Osgar whisper hoarsely. She replied by turning her head to look down to him. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything, it seems her body in general was to tired to work. She tried. She tried to say “It’s fine” or “Be quiet” since Smaug was not all that far off but all that came out was air. She really should have tried harder though. More or less because the shear wind of Smaug head whirling around at the sound was enough for her mind to panic.

Smaug knew.

And Osgar seemed to realize his mistake.

Smaug flew into a rage, noticing the foreign form in the doorway and roaring angrily.

“A man! In my kingdom!” He bellowed, stomping over quickly. Osgar shuffled back into the room, hiding behind the door in fright. “How could I have missed him! How did I not smell his odor?!” He yelled, trying to fit his snout in the doorway, trying to snap and find the man.

Slytha was tired and sick but Osgar was important to her. She pushed herself up as quickly as she could, stumbling forward. She tried gaining her balance before running forward herself to the door, hoping to stop Smaug before he really did get to Osgar.

Smaug withdrew his head, deciding the best way to get rid of the man. He was drawing in air, his chest lighting as he prepared his fire. His jaws parted and his throat was illuminated by the fire light. Just as he was prepared to roast the man in the room he was hiding in, gold eyes caught his and he froze, stopping.

“Please don’t kill him....” She said, staring up at Smaug tiredly. Smaug eyes burned in rage next. 

“You brought him here?! This was your doing?!” He roared in anger.

“He was hurt...I just....I didn’t know what to do....you were asleep....” She said, trying to keep herself upright. Smaug growled, beginning to pace. If only he had the moral ability to swat her aside and be done with it, he would. Slytha had made him soft. 

Slytha in turn knew this instinctively.

Her momentary adrenaline was fading and she sat down where she was with a plop. Osgar was peaking out the door, curious of the situation and made a move to go to her but a loud growl from Smaug brought him back in. He in all honesty, was terrified of the dragon, had the instinct to run for the exit to save himself. But he instead spoke.

“Smaug!” He said from the cover of the door. It was a call that was replied with an angry snarl. “P-Please! ..... Please.....I know you would like nothing less than talking with me....but please. She is sick! And I am sure you know as well as I do that you won’t be able to help her! ” He yelled out, waiting for a second before calling back again.

“ B-but please....roast me if you want...but that would also kill her too...She is getting worse but I can help her! ” Osgar said, testing the limits and peaking his head out from behind the door again. “But only if you trust me....if you let me.”

Smaug was staring straight at him, a malicious rage dilating his pupils. Suddenly he flicked his head back around, back to where his nest of gold was. He said nothing. Did nothing but walked back with heavy steps, stopping far enough to crash down onto the gold but still have his head to where he could see the man.

Osgar did not wait. He walked carefully out of the door and to the fatigued Slytha who struggled to keep herself upright. He cast a wary glance at the dragons peeking head who in turn begrudgingly looked away before laying Slytha back. Osgar was afraid that if he tried to move Slytha into the room behind them, Smaug would be done with him quickly. So he stayed there and began to do what he could, pulling his bags from the room that held the medicines he might need...something he had to use on more than one occasion for himself on his travels.

**Author's Note:**

> This will update every week on Fridays. I have no excuses not to since I don't have an ongoing story with a quota.


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